BRAZIL: PANTANAL SAFARI (BIRDS & JAGUARS) A SPECIAL DEPARTURE FOR THE NEW JERSEY AUDUBON SOCIETY

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1 BRAZIL: PANTANAL SAFARI (BIRDS & JAGUARS) A SPECIAL DEPARTURE FOR THE NEW JERSEY AUDUBON SOCIETY SEPTEMBER 1-13, 2014 By Andrew Whittaker Once again we found the fabled Pantanal simply brimming with wildlife, offering a non-stop series of highlights and living up to its well-deserved reputation as one of the premier wildlife spectacles in the world. Not surprisingly, the Pantanal is often favorably compared to African safaris, especially in recent years with incredible Jaguar watching spectacles. This massive cat is certainly the most wanted of South America s top five mammals and once again dominated our boat trips along the picturesque Cuiaba River and its effluents. We racked up an impressive 7 Jaguar encounters with a total of 5 different cats, including the massive alpha male called Mick Jaguar, weighing in at a colossal 350 pounds (the same size as a Lioness)! We watched him hunting the banks for caiman and Capybara, swimming across the river, resting on a beach, and even yawning! Mick Jaguar hunting caiman Photo: Andrew Whittaker The Pantanal covers a staggering 140,000 sq km of seasonally flooded savannas and subtropical forest, making it the planet s largest and richest 2

2 ITINERARY: 09/01 Flights into São Paulo. Fly from São Paulo to Cuiaba where we had an overnight in Hotel Taina near airport. 09/02 After breakfast we drove our way birding into the Pantanal for lunch. Afternoon boat trip along the rich Pixaim River. 09/03 Birding around the lodge and walk into the rich gallery forest with midday break and a lovely afternoon boat trip along the Rio Pixaim. 09/04 AM birding along the Transpantaneira in the rain by bus to Araras Lodge, then returning for lunch by boat. Afternoon cleared, birding around the lodge entrance road. 09/05 AM boat trip on Pixaim River with afternoon birding close by on the Transpantaneira road. 09/06 After an early breakfast we birded our way deeper into the Pantanal and to the end of the famous Transpantaneira road at Porto Jofre. Here we boarded our private speed boat and on to the lodge looking for Jaguar. Afternoon Jaguar boat trip. 09/07 Jaguar boat trips AM and PM on the Rio Cuiaba; afternoon break during heat of the day in flotel. 09/08 AM birding our way back at Campo Jofre and on to Pixaim for lunch. Straight on to Pousada Piuval where we enjoyed afternoon birding in the rich marshes and gallery forests, followed by an exciting night drive with potoos and nightjars. 09/09 Early morning birding the rich Campo forest around Piuval before birding our way out of the Pantanal, with a spectacular barbeque meal in Cuiaba on the way to the Chapada National Park, birding en route to Penhasco hotel at the spectacular Veu da Noiva waterfalls. 09/10 Birding the rich Cerrado along the Agua Fria Road and, as temperatures rose, into shaded gallery forests and on to a wonderful overlook. Afternoon birding the airforce road. 09/11 Birding Chapada National Park Cerrado and gallery forest + waterfalls. Lunch at Viu Da Nova. Afternoon birding the rich gallery forest and the geodesic center of South America for a magnificent sunset. 09/12 Birding early AM around hotel before returning to Cuiaba for our midafternoon flights to São Paulo and international connections homebound. 09/13 Arrive back in the US. TOP 5 birds (as voted by the group). 1- Hyacinth Macaw 2- Sunbittern 3- Collared Crescentchest 4- White Woodpecker 5- Capped Heron 7

3 This year we were thrilled by a magnificent soaring Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle and King Vulture while the Cerrado provided many spectacular birding moments as we observed its highly specialized birds and exotic plants. Highlights included excellent studies (after some work) of a well-behaved Collared Crescentchest, an exquisite group of Curl-crested Jays, Caatinga and White-eared puffbirds, Rufous-winged Antshrike, the recently described Chapada Flycatcher, Whiterumped and White-banded tanagers both endemic to this biome, and the nomadic Coal-crested Finch. In the lush gallery forest we were enthralled by scope views of a smart-looking pair of Lettered Aracaris, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, a male Band-tailed Manakin, White-backed Fire-eye, and a cool-looking Saffron-billed Sparrow. You were a wonderful special group, and it was a great pleasure to share with you this action-packed, two-week bird and mammal bonanza, and all those mouthwatering meals of cat fish, Brazilian barbeque, freshly-squeezed exotic fruit juices, Tapioca night and, of course, those Brazilian Caipirinhas. It truly was my pleasure to guide you all and I look forward to sharing another exotic birding location with you sometime in the near future. Until then, take care and, as always, great birding! Group birding at Piuval Photo: David Ascanio Lunch at Veu da Noiva, Chapada dos Guimarães Photo: Dale Rosselet 6

4 over their sand bar nesting site, as colorful Pied Plovers graced the water s edge and a lovely 2 m Green Anaconda peacefully crossed the dirt road. Pied Plover feeding Photo: Andrew Whittaker Sunbittern wings Photo: Andrew Whittaker Following the Pantanal we explored the cooler Chapada National Park and its breathtaking red sandstone cliffs and canyons, plunging waterfalls, and spectacular views. This exciting new biome of rich Cerrado with its endemic fauna and lush gallery forests was also a winner. The parks department gave us late access to the waterfalls which rewarded us with a great afternoon parrot show consisting of Red-and-green Macaws, White-eyed Parakeets, Blue-headed Parrot, and flocks of endemic Biscutate Swifts, while several stunning Swallow and Burnished-buff tanagers added even more color. 5

5 Grosso Antbird, Great Antshrike, and Band-tailed Antbird; Large-billed Antwren; and Greater Thornbird. Relaxed boat trips along the Rio Pixaím rewarded us with incredible photographic opportunities with all five South American kingfishers performing well, a magnificent Agami Heron, and several huge-eyed Boat-billed Herons. A pair of noble Bare-faced Curassows graced the banks; however, the Subitterns stole the show with multiple close observations in the early morning sun delighting us all as they flew and glided along the bank, exposing those brilliant sun spots on their wings! Penetrating deeper into the Pantanal was very productive with numerous other highlights including spectacular close views of the odd Great Horned Owl subspecies, neatly camouflaged roosting Nacunda Nighthawks; and flashy White Woodpeckers displaying right over our heads against a cloudless blue sky. Waterbirds abounded with huge concentrations of Jabiru, Wood Storks, and Limpkins; ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Capped and Whistling herons, and egrets lined the pools; splendid Scarlet-headed Blackbirds in the reed beds; and stellar views of the rare and endangered Chestnut-bellied Guan and the odd Southern Screamer, and much more. Other mammal highlights included a memorable close encounter with a very relaxed group of Giant Otters (yes, giant 6 feet long simply spectacular). Rarely does one get the opportunity to follow such magnificent creatures (for 30 minutes!) hunting and constantly munching fish at such close range. Their flat, almost beaver-like tails power them through the water effortlessly, interrupted by eating or occasionally periscoping for the presence of Jaguars (which they hate). Giant Otter Photo: Andrew Whittaker This tour will be remembered too for its countless magnificent sunsets and dawns. Taking in the evening sky glowing like an orange ball over the island we named paradise island, we watched a huge Jaguar as it fell asleep to a musical backdrop of calling Black Skimmers and Yellow and Large-billed terns displaying 4

6 wetland. Each year it s a great privilege for me to share this region s astonishing biodiversity, where it s easy to find 150+ bird species daily, along with an amazing abundance of mammals and crocodilians. The birding was exceptional as always; it was difficult to leave the lodge garden on our first morning due to a cacophony of odd and loud voices from the incessant Chaco Chachalaca (which woke us up), the raucous Rufous Hornero and Gray-crested Cacholote duets, and the harsh machine-gun rattle of Ringed Kingfishers as they competed with Amazon Kingfishers for the best perch in the garden from which to fish the Pixaím River. Bird feeders were alive with activity, as usual, and graced early on by a pair of Toco Toucans (whose enormous flaming-orange bill has to be seen in the early morning sun to be believed), Yellow-billed and Red-crested cardinals, Purplish Jay, Orange-backed Troupial, Bay-wings, Grayish Saltator, Picazuro Pigeon, Chestnut-eared Aracaris, and flocks of the tiny subspecies of Saffron Finch, while the garden was graced by colorful Campo Flickers, male Vermilion Flycatchers, and graceful White-rumped Monjitas. One of our bird highlights was an incredible breathtaking encounter with the glamour bird of the Pantanal, the spectacular Hyacinth Macaw, the world s biggest parrot. This year we got point-blank range views (a pair down to 20 feet) at their nest in the most amazing early morning light; what incredible colors! Other highlights included the odd but striking Red-legged Seriema, flocks of huge prehistoric-looking flightless Greater Rheas, and a pair of humongousbilled Great Rufous Woodcreepers which produced superb close-range studies. Hyacinth Macaw feeding on palm Photo: Andrew Whittaker Exploration through lush gallery forests produced such gems as a spectacular crimson-red and black flash in the form of a stunning male Helmeted Manakin; Pale-crested and Cream-colored woodpeckers; Blue-crowned Trogon; dayroosting camouflaged Great Potoo; Red-billed Scythebill (what a bill!); Mato 3